ME 392
Notes on Lab Reports and
Assignments
April 2, 2012
week 12
Joseph Vignola
Assignments
I would like to offer to everyone the extra help you might
need to catch up.
I will be around
Please email the TAs
Kristopher Reynolds, 80reynolds@cardinalmail.cua.edu
Nathan Doane, 96doane@cardinalmail.cua.edu
Jon Hiebert, 51hiebert@cardinalmail.cua.edu
Assignments
I would like to offer to everyone the extra help you might
need to catch up.
Make sure the write-up is clear and contains the figures
Assignments
I would like to offer to everyone the extra help you might
need to catch up.
Make sure the write-up is clear and contains the figures
Please us the plotting method discussed in class and the
the notes to make the print files
Assignments
I would like to offer to everyone the extra help you might
need to catch up.
Make sure the write-up is clear and contains the figures
Please us the plotting method discussed in class and the
the notes to make the print files
For assignment 5 the result is the slopes of the
acceleration vs. drive voltage based on the curve – fit
this is p(1) are the results
Lab Report Guidelines
There is a document on the class web page called
Lab Report Guidelines
Please print it out and use it as a check list
Lab Report Guidelines
Grading
The reports will be graded on completeness,
conciseness, clarity, and professionalism.
• report should contain all necessary ingredients and
nothing else
Lab Report Guidelines
Grading
The reports will be graded on completeness,
conciseness, clarity, and professionalism.
• should not contain redundancies or flowery language
that adds to the length without adding content
• know what the punch line is and only talk about things
that support it
Lab Report Guidelines
Grading
The reports will be graded on completeness,
conciseness, clarity, and professionalism.
The ideas should be to present logically with key points
emphasized, symbols and terms defined adequately,
and proper precision and units given to numerical
values.
Lab Report Guidelines
Grading
The reports will be graded on completeness,
conciseness, clarity, and professionalism.
proper practices for good writing style, grammar, spelling
and punctuation, neat and orderly presentation of tables
and figures, and citation of necessary references.
Lab Report Guidelines
Audience
For purposes of this course, you should write your
report as if writing to a technically educated reader who
is not familiar with the particulars of the experiment
being reported on.
Lab Report Guidelines
Background Information
The report should relate any relevant background
or theory to the experiment.
Lab Report Guidelines
Precision of language
Engineering concepts are complicated and
sometime difficult in understand.
Lab Report Guidelines
Precision of language
Engineering concepts are complicated and
sometime difficult in understand.
For this reason it is important not to complicate matters
with language.
Lab Report Guidelines
Precision of language
Engineering concepts are complicated and
sometime difficult in understand.
For this reason it is important not to complicate matters
with language.
Use the simplest language you can that conveys precise
meaning.
Lab Report Guidelines
Precision of language
Engineering concepts are complicated and
sometime difficult in understand.
For this reason it is important not to complicate matters
with language.
Use the simplest language you can that conveys precise
meaning.
Simple language should not be confused with casual
language.
Unsupported Assertions
Do not present something as a fact unless it is
commonly accepted by your audience
Unsupported Assertions
Do not present something as a fact unless it is
commonly accepted by your audience
Justify any statement that a reasonable reader might be
able to challenge “The sun rises in the east” does not
require additional explanation.
Unsupported Assertions
Do not present something as a fact unless it is
commonly accepted by your audience
Justify any statement that a reasonable reader might be
able to challenge “The sun rises in the east” does not
require additional explanation.
“A resistance heater is best for this application” requires
justification.
Unsupported Assertions
Do not present something as a fact unless it is
commonly accepted by your audience
Justify any statement that a reasonable reader might be
able to challenge “The sun rises in the east” does not
require additional explanation.
“A resistance heater is best for this application” requires
justification.
You can use a reference if you have a citation that
explains or justifies the point or that makes the case for
you, otherwise you need to justify.
Vague Assertions
The reader should be able to retrace your steps.
Vague Assertions
The reader should be able to retrace your steps.
You don’t have to spell out every detail of a calculation
or derivation but it must be possible for a reader to follow
or reconstruct the important steps of your work.
Vague Assertions
The reader should be able to retrace your steps.
You don’t have to spell out every detail of a calculation
or derivation but it must be possible for a reader to follow
or reconstruct the important steps of your work.
For example “The change in enthalpy was calculated
from the laws of thermodynamics” is too vague for the
reader to follow your procedure.
Vague Assertions
The reader should be able to retrace your steps.
You don’t have to spell out every detail of a calculation
or derivation but it must be possible for a reader to follow
or reconstruct the important steps of your work.
For example “The change in enthalpy was calculated
from the laws of thermodynamics” is too vague for the
reader to follow your procedure.
A better way to write the same sentence is “the
methodology given by Jones12 was used to calculate the
change in enthalpy.”
Vague Qualifiers
Examples:
“a little noise”
“a very large force”
“a good signal”.
You should only use this type of qualifier if you
previously establish a quantified criterion for the qualifier.
Vague Qualifiers
Examples:
“a little noise”
“a very large force”
“a good signal”.
You should only use this type of qualifier if you
previously establish a quantified criterion for the qualifier.
For example “A good signal is established when the
probe voltage is greater than 2.0 volts,” allows the
reader to know exactly what you mean by “good,” so the
qualifier is no longer vague
Elements of a Lab Report
Be sure to write and revise your report so that each
section clearly supports the other sections.
Elements of a Lab Report
Be sure to write and revise your report so that each
section clearly supports the other sections.
The finished product should not feel disjointed but
should be a unified, coherent whole.
Elements of a Lab Report
Be sure to write and revise your report so that each
section clearly supports the other sections.
The finished product should not feel disjointed but
should be a unified, coherent whole.
You can use whatever margins, font, and font size you
feel make your report look professional.
Elements of a Lab Report
Be sure to write and revise your report so that each
section clearly supports the other sections.
The finished product should not feel disjointed but
should be a unified, coherent whole.
You can use whatever margins, font, and font size you
feel make your report look professional
don’t double-space since you are turning in a finished
product, not a rough draft.
Elements of a Lab Report: Title Page
should include:
number and title of the experiment, the
name of the author of the report,
the names of the experimenter(s),
the date the report was written and submitted,
the course number and title,
names of the instructor and the University.
Elements of a Lab Report: Title Page
should include:
number and title of the experiment, the
name of the author of the report,
the names of the experimenter(s),
the date the report was written and submitted,
the course number and title,
names of the instructor and the University.
Make a template once and use it for all lab reports.
If you need something different in ME 496 (unlikely) change it
once and use the new template.
Elements of a Lab Report: Abstract
The abstract (clearly labeled as such) should occupy its own page
immediately following the title page.
The abstract should be able to stand on its own: there are many cases
in which a busy reader may only have time to read the abstract, or that
the abstract may be separated from the body of the report and
distributed to a wider audience.
The abstract should enable the reader to obtain the essence of the
report in the most compact form possible.
Elements of a Lab Report: Abstract
The abstract (clearly labeled as such) should occupy its own page
immediately following the title page.
The abstract should be able to stand on its own: there are many cases
in which a busy reader may only have time to read the abstract, or that
the abstract may be separated from the body of the report and
distributed to a wider audience.
The abstract should enable the reader to obtain the essence of the
report in the most compact form possible.
Write the abstract last.
Elements of a Lab Report: Table of Contents
Lists the major sections of the report with the number of
the page on which each section begins given in a
column along the right hand margin.
Elements of a Lab Report: Table of Contents
Lists the major sections of the report with the number of
the page on which each section begins given in a
column along the right hand margin.
The table of contents provides the reader with an
overview of report organization and assists in locating
key sections.
Elements of a Lab Report: Nomenclature
Defines the variables and the symbols used in the text.
The definitions should be brief and precise with
appropriate units given. The sequence should be: mixed
upper and lower case English letters (from A to z)
followed by Greek letters.
Elements of a Lab Report: Nomenclature
Defines the variables and the symbols used in the text.
The definitions should be brief and precise with
appropriate units given. The sequence should be: mixed
upper and lower case English letters (from A to z)
followed by Greek letters. For example:
A
a
b
F1
F2
α
ζ
Area, m2
Linear acceleration, m/s2
Damping coefficient, Ns/m
Force on part #1, N
Force on part #2, N
Angular acceleration, rad/s2
Damping ratio
Elements of a Lab Report: Introduction
Clearly present the objectives and summarize the basic
approach taken to solving the problem.
Elements of a Lab Report: Introduction
Clearly present the objectives and summarize the basic
approach taken to solving the problem.
It is typical to include some discussion of the importance
of the problem, including background information and
previous work on the problem, but this discussion should
be concise and should mainly serve to motivate the
approach used in the experiment.
Elements of a Lab Report: Introduction
Clearly present the objectives and summarize the basic
approach taken to solving the problem.
It is typical to include some discussion of the importance
of the problem, including background information and
previous work on the problem, but this discussion should
be concise and should mainly serve to motivate the
approach used in the experiment.
The introduction must give the reader a clear picture of
the reasons for conducting the experiment, the method
of approach, and the intended results.
Elements of a Lab Report: Apparatus &
Procedure
Used enough detail that the readers could duplicate your
approach and obtain the same results.
Give a thorough but brief accounting of what equipment
was used, how it was connected and configured, what
techniques were employed and what measurements
were taken.
A linear block diagram is better that a photo
Don’t include the LabVIEW Block diagram
Elements of a Lab Report: Theory
Discuss the theory underlying the experiment and the
analysis of the results.
Begin with a conceptualization of the problem indicating
all important physical processes, and show any
governing equations(s).
Provide derivations for these equations only if they are
not readily available elsewhere.
Provide the solution to the relevant equations (if
applicable), however, any lengthy calculations should be
placed in an Appendix
Elements of a Lab Report: Experimental
Results
You should provide properly formatted and analyzed data, not raw
numbers or graphics that do not directly illustrate a point relevant
to the conclusions.
The results should be presented as text, tables, and graphics as
appropriate to the experiment.
Graphics must be correctly labeled and scaled appropriately.
Every figure or table that you use must be referred to and
discussed in the text, which should make clear the purpose of
each figure or table and serve to unify and supplement the results
presented there.
Elements of a Lab Report: Conclusions
Close by summarizing your interpretation of the results.
Do not merely repeat interpretations given in the results
section, rather, inform the reader what is most important
about your results, their significance, and what actions
you recommend be taken in light of your results.
Elements of a Lab Report: References
As mentioned above, you must cite all sources used,
including books and articles, online documents, and any
personal communication/correspondence with outside
experts.
References should be listed in the order they are cited in
the body of the report, using numerals in square
brackets.
Elements of a Lab Report: Tables and
Figures
Integrate tables and figures into the text of the appropriate section or included
as a separate section at the end of the document.
Use Figure and Table number (number the figures and tables separately, for
example, Fig. 1, Fig 2., Fig 3., Table 1, Fig. 4, Table 2, etc.)
Always use full sentences in captions
Label any axes and provide proper units for figure axes and tabular data
In a figure with more than one curve or set of points, provide a legend
Theoretical or statistical curves should be smooth (no data points) while
discrete experimental data should be data points only (do not connect the dots).
Provide error bars on measured data if possible
Elements of a Lab Report: Appendices
May include raw data, sample calculations, lengthy
derivations of equations, or other relevant material too
long or detailed to be included in the main body of the
report.
Only necessary if it supports the overall goal of the
document.